Wis. QB Tolzien to make 1st trip to No. 9 Ohio St

FILE - In this Sept. 26, 2009, file photo, Wisconsin's Scott Tolzien (16) throws as pass during the first half of an NCAA football game against Michigan State in Madison, Wis. Tolzien waited four years for his first collegiate start. Now he's facing his greatest challenge so far, taking his 5-0 Ba

/ AP

FILE - In this Sept. 26, 2009, file photo, Wisconsin's Scott Tolzien (16) throws as pass during the first half of an NCAA football game against Michigan State in Madison, Wis. Tolzien waited four years for his first collegiate start. Now he's facing his greatest challenge so far, taking his 5-0 Badgers into Ohio Stadium to face No. 9 Ohio State on Saturday. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 26, 2009, file photo, Wisconsin's Scott Tolzien (16) throws as pass during the first half of an NCAA football game against Michigan State in Madison, Wis. Tolzien waited four years for his first collegiate start. Now he's facing his greatest challenge so far, taking his 5-0 Badgers into Ohio Stadium to face No. 9 Ohio State on Saturday. (AP Photo/Morry Gash, File) (/ AP)

COLIN FLY, The Associated Press

It took nearly five years for Scott Tolzien to start a game again. Then four more weeks for his first college start on the road.

Now, the junior who ascended Wisconsin's depth chart in the fall to start at quarterback faces his toughest test yet against No. 9 Ohio State on Saturday.

"I've been here for four years and each year there was a quarterback competition," Tolzien said. "Just by seeing that and then also just working hard, trying to work hard every day, not letting a day slip by where I wasn't getting better just so when this opportunity came, at least I knew I had given it my best shot."

Has he ever.

Tolzien, who had last started in high school before this season, is completing 65.6 percent of his passes for 1,043 yards with nine TDs and three interceptions. That's good for the highest pass efficiency rating in the Big Ten Conference and the key reason why Wisconsin remains undefeated at 5-0.

"Coaches told us the most consistent guy would get the job," he said. "I felt like I had a pretty good chance and I was able to play consistent football."

"Ever since I was growing up as a little kid watching Wisconsin, they've had good quarterbacks and guys that manage the game well, just took time off the clock and moved the chains," Tolzien said. "I feel like that's something I do well and something we try to do as an offense."

Tolzien hasn't experienced Columbus on game day, but he hadn't been to Minnesota either before Wisconsin's 31-28 win last Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium because he wasn't on the travel squad.

Rattled by a raucous atmosphere? Hardly.

"You try to treat it like any other game and not make too much of which stadium you're playing in," said Tolzien, who also has never been to Penn State's Beaver Stadium.

Bielema said there are similarities between Tolzien and John Stocco, who went 29-7 as a starter from 2004-06 despite lingering criticism that he lacked arm strength and wasn't flashy.

Tolzien said he studied Stocco during his redshirt year.

"The one thing I learned from him is just what a premium it was to learn the offense," Tolzien said. "He never had the rocket arm. He'd just fit the ball into tight spaces. Just a great location thrower.

"That's what I saw with myself. I'm not a big huge guy with a huge arm. I learned from Stoc that you can still be a big player by studying the game and working on your location."

If Tolzien can help Wisconsin topple Ohio State, the parallels to Stocco will continue. Stocco also won his first start at Ohio State in 2004 in his first trip there.

"The guys that are around him know that he genuinely cares about all those players that are out there and he's very intelligent. He makes a lot of good decisions," Bielema said.

Tolzien's knowledge of the playbook has teammates like linebacker Jaevery McFadden call him a "genius" and others saying he's the smartest guy they've ever met. Bielema can't help but laugh.

"The more I'm in this racket, the more I realize and understand as coaches, it's great to have an understanding of where we're at, but it's really more about what the players believe in each other," Bielema said. "They really believe that Scotty's the smartest guy in that huddle. He's the guy that knows all the things that need to happen and how to get it done. You can't put a price tag on that."

Bielema said he's impressed when he jumps in the huddle in practice and hears Tolzien explaining to his teammates what needs to happen to be successful on each play.

"He gets the bigger picture, and that's a huge thing," Bielema said.

Tolzien and Wisconsin's power running game featuring John Clay is averaging 35 points a game.

"All of the quarterbacks we've faced this season have kind of stared down receivers but he doesn't do that at all," Ohio State safety Anderson Russell said. "He really progresses through his reads. So he's doing a great job of delivering it to all of his receivers."

Wisconsin is the only team in major college football that's undefeated and outside the Top 25. That will certainly change if the Badgers beat the Buckeyes.

But Tolzien said rankings or lack of respect is something that's not motivation for Saturday.

"That's kind of for the media to decide. We're just focusing in on what we've got to do on a week-to-week basis," Tolzien said. "The rest will take care of itself."